A connector is often used to connect an external fluid system, for example charging, evacuation and/or testing equipment, to a second fluid system, for example manufacturing, test, or processing equipment. Once the connection is made and any valves are opened, fluid can flow through the connector either into the second fluid system or from the second fluid system depending on the processing operation being performed.
Connectors are typically designed to be manually actuated in a suitable manner, although pneumatic/hydraulic actuated connectors are also known. With manual and pneumatic/hydraulic connector actuation, the connection forces are hard to control which can be problematic when connecting to a delicate or fragile fluid system. Further, space constraints may limit or prevent use of manually actuated connectors. Pneumatic actuated connectors also require compressed air, which is an added cost and can introduce contaminants which is detrimental in applications where contaminants need to be avoided, for example medical applications.